Chapter 1: Invitation to Find Your Heart

Regina stood at the door, looking at it pensively. Why was she here? Why would anyone invite her anywhere, and why would she want to go right now? She was still mourning, after all. She didn't really want to interact with anyone right now. She just wanted to be alone with her pain. But yet she had been invited, and here she was.

She knocked on the door softly, tensing herself. The door swung open, and Emma was standing there smiling at her.

Emma said to her, cheerfully, "Hello, Regina. I'm glad you could make it. Come in." She then stepped out of the way.

Regina was a little taken aback that Emma was being so nice to her. She was suspicious of that, and stuck her head in tentatively. She was about to sigh and walk in, when she realized she could see into the dining room, and saw Mary Margaret/Snow sitting there. She yanked her head out and shook it vehemently. "No."

Emma looked a little confused at first, then hurt. "Huh?"

Regina's eyes narrowed dangerously as she shot an icy glare at Emma. "I'm not sure what's up, but no. You should no by now that if she's here, then I'm not. Whatever you two plotted against me, I'm not giving either of you the satisfaction."

Emma's shoulders sagged as she said, "Come on, really?! Will you stop being the embittered, paranoid bitch for once and just come in here! Seriously, this was all Henry's idea. He spent the past two weeks planning this. Are you going to blow it for him?"

Regina paused for a second to think about that. She could just walk away, and invite Henry for a small private meal later. She didn't really do the whole Thanksgiving thing anyways, as she didn't think she had much to be thankful for right now. But she didn't want to let him down. If there was one thing she always desired, it was Henry's affection. So she swallowed her pride and came in...

...And immediately saw just how cramped the dining room really was. Gold was here with his son and Belle, Charming and Snow were here as well. She looked at the door again, then at Emma like she was accusing her of lying and setting a trap for her, until she felt a hug around her midsection, and looked down to see Henry wrapped around her. She bent down to her knees and hugged him back.

Henry smiled at her and said, "Thank you. Thank you for coming."

Regina smiled back at him, and said, "Look, I don't know what's going on. You're going to have to explain it to me. But if it's for you, I'll endure it."

Henry almost laughed. Of course Regina would suspect something. But he'd started to get wise to how to manipulate the master manipulator himself. He knew the one place Regina's heart was still pure. "Honestly, it's nothing. It's just a Thanksgiving dinner that myself, Mom, and Grandpa put together."

Regina looked up at Charming, who was doing what he always did...be a charmer, treating the other guests to his dazzling smile and trying to entertain them with bad jokes. Even Gold seemed amused...or bemused? "Are you really calling him that?"

Henry said nonchalantly, "Well, he is."

Regina couldn't contain her laughter, a laugh that for once was genuine, without malice or bitterness. "Henry, I know he is, but he and your mom are the same age! I don't think you can call a 28 year old 'grandpa', honey!"

Emma smiled at the scene, and then noticed her father beckoning her towards the kitchen. She helped pull them up and said, "Duty calls. Go and make yourselves at home."

Regina and Henry made their way to the table, sitting next to each other, across from Snow and from Charming's empty seat. Snow looked at Regina, and shifted uncomfortably. Her husband, grandson, and daughter hadn't really explained things to her either, and certainly hadn't told her Regina was coming. She shot her grandson a confused look, and Henry shrugged at her.

Regina was trying to not pay attention to Snow, trying to remain civil for Henry's sake. She was instead looking at Gold and Belle. Certainly, Emma couldn't hold any particular fondness for them, so why were they here? She could see Neal/Baelfire at the other end of the table, presumably by Emma's seat, but why couldn't she have just invited him and not his meddlesome father and his precious beau?

Her thoughts were broken by Charming and Emma walking out, Charming with the now carved turkey and Emma with the mashed potatoes, the dressing, and the cranberry sauce.

Once everything was laid out, Emma cleared her throat. "Excuse me. I have a confession to make. You see, we sort of were dishonest to all of you."

Charming cleared his throat next, continuing from Emma. "You see, Henry came up with this idea. He suggested that family is the thing to most be thankful for in life. Sadly, his family happens to be all of us...a brood that has a lot of issues, let's say. So, he thought a good Thanksgiving dinner would be a way for us to clear the air and try to come to terms."

Regina looked down at Henry, who looked up at her. She whispered to him, "You little sneak."

He whispered back to her, "I learned from the best."

They glared at each other for a second, then slowly smiled, then were about to start laughing, until there was a bang at the table. They turned to see a displeased looking Gold starting to stand up...